


we can't ignore signs of change

by littlelooneyluna



Category: Emmerdale, robron
Genre: Angst, Canon Compliant, Heart Break, M/M, Tears
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-15
Updated: 2018-02-15
Packaged: 2019-03-19 05:00:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 814
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13697376
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/littlelooneyluna/pseuds/littlelooneyluna
Summary: after the episode ~robert takes a chance on aaron, only to be stopped in his tracks.





	we can't ignore signs of change

**Author's Note:**

> i wanted this to happen so bad, so i wrote it into existence!

 

 

Vic tells him that it's best to leave it alone, well alone actually.

And Robert knows that he probably should, it's the logical thing to do because he knows that she's right.

Aaron and Alex are good, they're tentative and the classic 'opposites attract' pairing but that's endearing, he supposes.

In spite of this though, he's knocking on Aaron's door and not looking back.

He's waiting, hands by his side tapping away and making him feel like everything is happening too fast, too quickly.

There's a beat.

The door is this large looming thing in front of him and he's looking passed the memory of him picking the stained glass design. He's thinking about what exactly he's going to say when Aaron opens it.

And his mind is terribly _blank_.

He feels sick, because this is it. This is his chance to pull whatever Aaron is feeling out of him.

Because Aaron's _Aaron_. And he pushes and pokes and then runs away and waits for Robert to be the one to get the hammer out and smash down the wall between them.

It's always been like that.

Robert gulps against the realisation, and then he's thinking about what Aaron said before Alex showed up.

He agreed, he said that something _had_ happened between them.

He admitted that he's been _lying_.

He -

He said so much and Robert's brain is dizzy against it, he's a kid, with this massive crush and it's not unrequited.

It may not be unrequited anymore.

Robert stares at the door and then Aaron's shadow is appearing as he pulls it open.

His eyes are suddenly wide and Robert is lost in the pools of blue for a second.

"Rob." Aaron breathes out, soft, tentative.

He's holding his hand on the door and leaning against it so that it's only ajar and Robert stares at him.

"Hi." Robert says, and his heart is thudding. "Look, earlier, you - you said things and - and I just wanted to say that - that I've been lying too."

Aaron's face turns white suddenly, and there's tears forming in his eyes as he hisses out this breath.

"Rob, _please_." And he looks like he's in pain or something.

"No. Just - just let me speak." Robert shakes away his concern, because he _needs_ to do this. "I've been lying. We both have. I've only just realised that - that you still have feelings for me and - and Aaron -" he looks at him and sees everything. "I'm never going to stop lo-"

And he doesn't get to finish his sentence.

Because he hears someone calling Aaron's name.

And it's not Liv.

Everything inside him turns this murky grey and the last shred of his hope completely vanishes because -

 _Oh_.

Aaron's still looking at him like he can't bring himself to look anywhere else.

As if he thinks if he's stares at Robert for long enough, he'll get that he's sorry or whatever.

Robert doesn't look at him.

He looks towards the floor, "I'm sorry." He says, because he is, because he's fucking Aaron's life up once again and it's so unfair. "I thought that -"

"Don't," Aaron whispers, steps forward and then shudders. " _Please_ don't say sorry to me."

And maybe, maybe Aaron hates himself.

Robert doesn't want him to.

So he gulps down everything that aches inside and lifts his head, he _shakes_ off the misery he feels, that deep rooted feeling of _no_ , and smiles.

He _smiles_.

"I should go." He says, he should, he should _go_.

Because this coat his wearing is suddenly suffocating and his palms are almost definitely sweaty.

And,

Aaron's eyes are still wet. And he doesn't say anything, he just comes closer towards Robert and then suddenly grabs his arm.

It makes Robert look down and he just stares, blinks against the way it makes him feel and concentrates on the way Aaron is almost shaking. His breathing is slow, just like that phone call, on Valentine's Day.

"Aaron," Robert whispers, and his own eyes are nearly wet. "Let go." He says, sniffs and Aaron's still just staring at him, like he has a million and one things he's dying to say.

A million and one things Robert will never have the pleasure of hearing.

"I have to go." Robert whispers, almost pleads and Aaron gulps hard, a tear falling down his face.

And then,

"Aaron?"

Again.

And Aaron finally lets go.

Robert is stuck with the imprint of Aaron's grip on him, clammy, _unmoving_.

And he watches him back towards the door, dare to smile and then think better of it, wipe at his face instead and -

Robert leaves, knowing that he's done with trying, that he was _wrong_ , that Aaron would never ever fight for them again, that whatever happened wasn't _enough_ , that what _they_ had wasn't enough.

He leaves before he gets to watch Aaron shut the door on him.

Again.

 


End file.
